


Dominion

by Gwenore



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Body Horror, Demons, Devil, F/M, Gore, Graphic Description, Hell, Hospitals, Medical, Needles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-01-31 11:52:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12681345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwenore/pseuds/Gwenore
Summary: Belle is working as a nurse at Storybrooke hospital. Some time ago they got in a John Doe in a catatonic state. Belle knows at once something is off as though he doesn’t speak or react to pain he doesn’t seem catatonic, following her with his eyes and listening to her every words.The only possession he has on him is a picture of a boy about fourteen years old.One evening she is reading to her charge and the skies turn blood red and the light goes out at the hospital as all hell beaks loose in the small town.





	1. Chapter 1

“Hello, it is a nice day out today,” Belle said with a smile towards the man sitting upright in his bed. She had worked in the Storybrooke hospital as a nurse for a couple of years now, a very small and quiet place, one that had very few patients to take care off… at least not too many staying more than a couple of nights for observations.

But for a couple of weeks Belle had been in charge of a male patient with no name with a rather… different. He was in a permanent catatonic state… well that was what Dr. Whale said, though in her time working here she had little confidence in that drunk’s medical knowledge.

Belle wasn’t sure this was true. It just didn’t feel… right.

She could feel him following him with his dark eyes, and he was listening to her. He was almost… trapped. She also felt he was distrusting and… terrified. Something terrible must have happened, but so far he had not spoken a single word.

What worried her was that he had not responded to pain, leading Dr. Whale to declare him catatonic. Even as she changed his IV drip he did not even flinch or tense… even if he was watching every thing she did.

This John Doe had been picked up by deputy Swan and sheriff Humbert, wandering around the edge of town… dressed in a surprisingly well made suit, clearly expensive and of high quality… nor was it even dirty. He had been brought in to Storybrooke hospital and after being checked for injury. Belle was one of the nurses who had the most to do with care of him.

He had still clutched the image and his grip had been such that any attempt of removing it was nearly risking breaking his fingers. It was only after Belle had coaxed him for hours he finally released it, but she took great care to keep it close to him, even buying a small frame on her way to work the very next morning allowing it to be placed on his nightstand. Belle knew that every time no one else where in that room his eyes never left that image as she had often watched him from the door.

John Doe was in his fifties, or so Belle guessed, on the shorter side with a hooked nose and dark eyes, with half long graying hair.

The man had no identification on him… no wallet… no phone… in fact he had nothing on him other than a picture of a boy about fourteen years of age which he clutched in his hand. He desperately held onto it… refusing to be parted from it.

He also showed no sign of injury… there was absolutely no reason for this man to be looking like he was.

According to Emma… whom Belle knew… a bit at least as they had talked some times at Granny’s diner said they had searched for missing persons matching his description, but there was no missing persons from Storybrooke… and no one matching John Doe’s description in the area surrounding the small town. They were even going through the missing persons from Boston, but as there was no sign of John Doe having a car… nor had they found an unknown vehicle which might have belonged to him.

Emma had sighed and then stated that it was like the man had appeared out of nowhere.

Belle looked at him as she was checking his vitals.

Surely… no one could appear out of nowhere right?

“Don’t worry… we will get you better soon…” she reached out her hand to move a couple of stray strands of hair which had gotten in his face. His eyes looked into hers and she could swear that he was pleading with her to help him, but he wasn’t able to tell her.

“I just… I just wish you could tell me what happened to you…” she whispered. A loud gasp passed her lips as the man grabbed her hand, looking up at her, his breathing labored… wishing to speak so clearly, yet he wasn’t even able to open his mouth as if his jaw was frozen shut.

The grip was intense, and she could feel him trembling.

“What is it?” she asked, holding her hand over his own. “Please… tell me. I want to help you.”

His eyes rolled back before his head fell back into the pillow, his hand releasing her, the hand falling down. Belle stepped closer to him, feeling his forehead. He was burning and sweating bullets.

She bit her lip, there was nothing she could do for the fever, but though his vitals had spiked they were now dropping down to normal. Deciding she would monitor his temperature through the day and also take care to up his fluids should this be needed.

Belle did not want to leave him… he obviously was in distress, but she had work which needed to be completed… but she would be back as soon as she could she would return to check on him.

Slowly her fingers stroked over his cheek, looking deeply into his dark eyes.

“I have to leave…” she whispered softly to him. “I will be back soon… alright? Just… just hang in there…”

Belle swallowed nervously as she finally removed herself, wandering towards the door she looked towards him once again, but now his eyes had turned towards the picture. Gently she opened the door and exited into the hallway.

 

Days passed like that, but John Doe showed now improvement to get out of his catatonic state. Belle had talked about him with some of the other nurses. No one had reported anything strange, except for the state of his medical condition and how he came to be there.

Apparently he had not reacted to any of them…

This day Belle had the nightshift. A painfully slow twelve hours before she headed home at 6 am. She did not really mind. Most of the time she would spend reading of do various things around the hospital… it was rare that she or the other nurses on guard was called by any of the patients.

With book in hand she took her book in hand she found herself wandering towards John Doe’s room.

Perhaps he was sleeping… it was already quite late, but then again… she didn’t think that she had ever seen him sleep.

Softly she wandered inside and sure enough she was met by those dark vigilant eyes.

“Hi… it is me. Do you… do you want me to leave?” she asked him. He made no moment, but he seemed more at ease now that she was there with him.

“Alright… I will stay here for a while then,” she smiled before she wandered over, sitting himself on a chair next to his bed. Picking up her book she showed it to him.

“It is called ‘Her handsome hero’ a silly story I know… but it has always meant a lot to me… do you… do you want me to read to you?” she asked. She had not expected an answer, but he managed to make the slightest of nod, his eyes softly resting upon her.

“Alright then, hopefully it will not bore you…” she smiled as she opened her book and started to read the words she knew so well since childhood, the man without a name nor voice listening to her… his breathing for the first time easy and relaxed.

As Belle reached the third chapter, it was already time for the end of her shift and the sun was expected to rise at any moment. Slowly she closed the book, looking towards her charge and expecting him to be asleep, but he was still looking at her, seemingly understanding that she was going to leave, but those eyes were pleading with her to stay.

“I am sorry… but I will be back tonight… and unless something happens… which around here it almost never does, I can read some more if you want,” she told his. Honestly it broke her heart having to leave him.

He was utterly alone… unable to tell anyone who he was or where he belonged. His eyes looked down… a bit of a defeated look on his face, but seemingly accepted what had to be done.

Belle sat there for some time, before reaching out to stroke his cheek.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered to him, as she had done so many times before. “We will get you better.”

Glancing up her eyes furrowed. Outside the window there was a strange light… John Doe’s eyes followed hers and he startled, seemingly trying to crawl out of the bed… moving more than he had done in his time at the hospital.

With hesitant steps she wandered over to the window and peaked out the window and she was filled with dread.

The sky outside had turned blood red. Not like a sunrise… a deep dark blood red, nearly leaving the town in complete darkness except for the slight red light.

“What is…” she muttered, and she nearly screamed as someone grabbed her hand and covered her mouth. Looking over she saw it was her patient, having within seconds ripped off his IVs and was now pulling her down behind the bed and hushed her.

She was about to ask him what the hell was going on, but in the same moment all the lights in the hallway shut off followed by horrid shrieks and… Belle had to cover her ears as the maddening sounds she heard coming from the hallway, enough to bring tears to her eyes.

The unknown man’s mouth then opened showing rows upon rows of lethal teeth, his forced grin so wide it looked near agonizing, as a forked tongue slid out.

_“I am sorry…”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and the unknown man sneak through the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend Dekujin did a image of how Rumple in this story with his beautiful smile. Look here:  
> http://dekujinsart.tumblr.com/post/167369652525/psst-everyone-should-go-read-gwenore-s-new-fic  
> Isn't it perfect?

Belle would have screamed if she had been able too scream she would, but he covered her mouth, hushing softly between those many sharp teeth.

 _“Be quiet…”_ he whispered. _“They may hear you…”_

Belle hoped and prayed that she had simply gone insane. It was the better alternative at the moment.

She had no sense of time as they remained crouched behind the hospital bed. There were movement outside, but the screaming had stopped.

The unknown man… who Belle did not know really was a man… she could not believe that he was… no he surely could not be… moved towards the door, looking out of the small window, mentioning her to follow him, but she was frozen in place.

“What is happening?” she managed to whisper. “What are you?”

 _“We don’t have time! We need to go!”_ he hissed through sharp teeth.

“How can I trust you?! How do I know that you are not going to eat me?! Your teeth don’t inspire confidence!” Belle was terrified out of her mind as she looked into the fanged maw of the creature.

He was quick to shake his head, licking his lips with that forked tongue.

 _“I am not going to hurt you. I am human! Used to be…”_ he stuttered slightly, still looking with fear outside the door. _“If we do not get out… you may not be human much longer either!”_

Belle did not see any lies upon the man’s eyes. He was terrified… she dreaded that he had a very good reason for being so. Nervously she dared to move towards him, him taking her hand in his own.

 _“Is there a morgue here?”_ he whispered. She nodded.

“All hospital have them, I think…” she muttered nervously.

 _“Shit!”_ he growled.

“What?” Belle asked nervously as she looked towards him.

 _“Parts…”_ he murmured.

“Parts for what?” Belle did not know if she wanted to know the answers.

 _“Sadly you will find out soon enough,”_ he grumbled, still holding her hand as he slowly started to open the door. Belle looked down the hallway finding only the emergency lights on… even the hospital’s emergency generator had turned on.

And it was utterly silent. No people panicking… no people running around…

It was just as if they were totally alone in this place. Fair enough there never was many around in the hospital in the night, but…

There were always noise.

Now… nothing.

This creature was still holding around her wrist, biding his time… looking for something that she did not know what was. Still holding onto her, he seemed to remember something, rushing back grabbing the frame with the picture in it, smashing it on the ground, pulling out the photo and clutching it.

 _“It will keep us safe!”_ he insisted as he showed it to her. Belle only shook her head. He was saying that as if it made sense.

 _“Now… do not scream. What ever we see out there… do not scream…”_ he whispered, pressing the words through the sharpened teeth, seemingly having trouble speaking with those… inhuman features. Belle nodded. But… could he really be trusted?

Belle did not know… but… she had no explanation for what was going on. Slowly he started to move... pulling her along with him… moving slow and keeping to the wall of the hospital.

The floor was… wet… but it was too dark to see… but it was slightly sticky underfoot. Belle really hoped it wasn’t what she thought it was…

Then movement was heard through the hall, a sense of dread coming across both of them as they searched shelter behind a counter.

What they could see…

Belle tried to scream, but he had clamped his hand over her face to keep her from making a sound.

Out there… creatures… wandering the hallways, on all fours…

Belle felt she was about to throw up.

They looked human… or… some perversion of it. Their muscles stretched and pulled… sewn onto other places… was flesh… other limbs… the legs having been cut off… several more arms grafted on… causing twitching unnatural movement.

The eyes were no where to be seen as a large fleshy muzzle had been grafted onto the creatures face… filled with teeth and a long tongue dragging the floor.

 _“Hounds…”_ her companion growled softly. Belle simply looked over at him, her words caught in her throat.

“Hounds…?” she whispered. “Are they…?”

 _“Were…”_ he responded as they started to move further down. Belle let out a slight whimper as she looked after them as they crawled along the floor.

If they were here… then what had happened to the rest of the people at the hospital? She did not really want to think about it… she couldn’t just now…

The man whom she still did not know the name of, flicked his long tongue before they started to sneak past the creatures.

Belle kept her eyes firmly at the back of the man’s head, watching his graying hair, having no desires to see… those again.

There was nothing blocking their way… but she could constantly hear slithering and disgusting wet movements as the creatures crawled around. She could almost hear those crawling twisted human shapes… soft moans coming from their maws, as if eternally stuck in agonizing pain… or forced pleasure.

The dark was near impossible to see through… and she still felt that wetness under her shoes. They were now nearing the lobby of the hospital…. A rather large room, the largest in the hospital.

Just peering into that singular darkness… she couldn’t see the faintest of shapes… no doors… no light peering in from the outside… not even the faintest shimmer.

It was as if something massive was blocking the entire room.

Her companion seemed to notice as well, freezing in place with absolute terror.

 _“No… no you cannot be here… you cannot… YOU CANNOT!”_ the panic in the man’s voice was such that it made Belle’s heart beat so quick that it made her heart beat so quickly she was certain her ribs would crack from the inside.

There was a sound of a multitude of wings as an eye opened in the middle of the darkness… looking down at them.

 _“BUT I AM… AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOU… DON’T WORRY MY DEAR… I WON’T HURT YOU… OR YOUR FRIEND. NO… WHY WOULD I DO THAT?”_ the shade’s voice was ringing through the halls… and it was absolutely beautiful. It was pleasure beyond words to simply be able to listen to those words.

 _“I AM… GRATEFUL… I COULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT YOU. YOU FOUND THE WAY OUT. I ADORE YOU…”_ the shade moved its face closer, Belle letting out a scream as its features were caught in the light of one of the exit signs.

In some time past it had been beautiful… humanlike. But its lower jaw had been split open showing a rows upon rows of dagger like teeth with a multitude of forked tongues moving like snakes as it was tasting the air.

The upper part of its face was filled with bony protrusions… the two largest coming from where it’s eyes had been at one point… forming into large goat like horns… and in  the middle of its forehead was that big singular eye, split down the middle by a pupil.

Down from its long serpentine neck was feathers it had bound with wire… beautiful shimmering feathers… long since stained with blood and fluids.

Two long arms reached towards them… but Belle could not guess how many it had as most of it was obscured by six massive wings, covering most of its form. On those arm the same stunning feathers had been sewn on… but mottled bloody flesh could be seen through them… most of it having hardened into bony scabs.

Its long fingers were tipped with hooked claws… but neither could move from the horror and awe of this thing.

Softly it wrapped its massive fingers around them pulling them closer to him, as it caressed them gently in its hold… its eye looking at them with affection and adoration.

 _“WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN YOU HAVE FOUND… OF COURSE SHE CAN BE WITH US… WE WILL EAGERLY WELCOME HER… AS WE WELCOMED YOU, DARLING,”_ the creature looked over her… a soft purr upon its wondrous voice.

 _“LET HER GO!”_ the unknown man shouted towards it as several of those many tongues came and licked her face… feeling her skin. It pulled away its tongues as it looked towards the creature now squirming in its hold.

 _“DON’T WORRY PET. I WILL LOVE HER, JUST AS I LOVE YOU, JUST LET ME… LOVE YOU,”_ it rumbled pleased, as those tongues caressed both of them, overjoyed as its jaws clattered happily.

“I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. JUST LET ME LOVE YOU…” the creature moaned softly as it started to pull them into the darkness of its form as those feathered wings wrapped around them.

 

Belle woke with a startled scream, in the reclining chair in the hospital room and looked up to see how the light poured into the window. Was it a dream? This was far more twisted than any dream.

She still felt those wings closing in on her, looking to the bed to find dark eyes of the unknown man staring at her, his mouth once again shut… no sign of the unnatural grin with monstrous fangs and forked tongue.

But on the picture by the bed… of the young man… there were hairline fractures all over the glass…

It had been smashed… but…

Her eyes met the unknown man’s once again and she knew… this was no nightmare… this was far worse…


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The man tells Belle to get out of town.

Belle sat there for a long while before he sat herself, trying to get some sense of reality, but all she could feel was those rustling feathered wings as well as those slimy forked tongues against her face.

Slowly she moved closer to the man on the bed, leaning close to him.

“What…. What is happening?” she whispered once again. He moved his head closer to her, his lips brushing against her ear as they parted slightly to show the dagger like teeth and forked tongue.

 _“Dominion… its name is Dominion…”_ he spoke in a strained tone of voice.

“What does it want?” Belle whispered. He simply shook his head.

 _“Do not know… just wanted to escape…”_ he groaned, his breath heavy _. “Needed to find… needed to get back to… find… him… my… my son…”_

She looked at the image on the table.

 _“But… it followed… it seems… it changes us… makes us… creatures… no longer human. Soon… soon there is no humanity left… only madness… and need… One is no better than a beast… caring only for pleasure…”_ his teeth gritted against each other.

 _“It takes its time… It claims to love… yet love is painful to it… my love for my son… kept me… from falling… it continues to coax me… promises everything… if I could love it in return...”_ he reached up his hand, twinning his fingers in her locks of soft brown hair.

 _“But true love… it cannot understand… yet it wants it… more than everything. Why those that fall to desire… becomes nothing more than hounds to it… kept around for… amusement…”_ those words it terrified Belle… yet she knew them to be true.

“What can we do?” she whispered.

 _“I don’t know… but you must not trust… anything. Only yourself… but not your eyes… nor your ears… only yourself…”_ continued to hold onto her… as if needing to assure himself that she was… real.

“Who are you…?” Belle whispered as she ran her hand through his hair… trying to soothe him.

 _“I… I don’t remember anymore… my name… I don’t remember. I just remember the name… Rumplestiltskin… I do not know why. But… it is the only name which I remember… before… getting out of that place…”_ he whispered, seemingly desperate that he could not remember. Belle furrowed her brows… he had forgotten his own name?

“Well… Rumplestiltskin… it must be important… if that is all you can remember… what is… what is the name of your son?” Belle asked. Now tears was welling up in his eyes.

 _“I cannot… I cannot remember…”_ he whispered, arching his back slightly, Belle instantly hushing him.

“Hey… just relax… just don’t panic…” she whispered to him, though… telling him to relax after what she had seen…

The man took a couple of more heavy breaths, trying to keep control over himself.

 _“Bae… I think… something familiar… about that… but not quite right…”_ he whispered.

“Look… I’ll help you find your son,” she promised him, looking towards the image on the table, but the man shook his head.

 _“No… Belle…”_ he whispered… she had told him her name when he was still in that catatonic state, if one cold call it that… though hearing it from his lips…

 _“You… run! As far as you can… you run! Do not look back. Do not…”_ he groaned softly. Belle shook her head.

“No! I am not going to just leave you to… it!” flashes of that horrid creature came to her mind… terrifying gaze of its horrid eye. But the man simply shook his head.

 _“No…”_ he whispered. _“You run… leave this town. It sees you now… and that is… that is… just run! You don’t want to end up like me!”_

With this his lips parted, showing her those horrid teeth.

Belle swallowed wanting to protest, but his eyes were pleading with her.

“I…” she whispered, she did not want to leave him. The blue eyed woman could not even begin to imagine the horrors he must have gone through… so horrible that he could not even remember the name of his son that he clearly loved more than anything.

 _“Save yourself… you are a good woman Belle… you do not deserve the hell that follows this thing. I want to thank you… for being so kind to me… it has been so long…”_ he smiled softly towards her.

“But… what about the rest of town?” she worried.

 _“It does not kill… it does not hunt… you have to catch its attention… make it believe you may love it,”_ his fingers slipped away from her soft hair. _“If they do not know about it… they are safer… then they cannot… fall…”_

 “So… I may even be putting them in danger… by staying…” she whispered with a shiver in her voice. The man nodded his head.

_“Yes…”_

Belle still hesitated, but his dark eyes were still pleading with her to leave. Still feeling her heart ache with pain, but she nodded.

“I am… sorry…” she whispered, but the man simply shook his head.

 _“No… just go… try to think about this as a bad dream…”_ he was able to reaching towards her hand, brushing his fingers across the back of her hand. Belle took his hand in hers, trying her best to keep her tears from falling.

 _“Better get home now nurse… I think your shift is over…”_ he gave her a slight chuckle, causing a small giggle despite herself.

“Yes… perhaps it is… Goodbye… Rumplestiltskin,” she smiled, running her hand through his hair gently. With another smile she forced herself turn around and walked out of the room.

_“Good bye… Belle…”_

He whispered as he watched that wonderful woman leave the room… hopefully it was not too late.

 

Belle wandered though the hospital… her legs having turned to lead with the fear that she had experienced last night… the horrible visage… those pained creatures… the screams echoing the halls just before.

Now… there were no trace of that.

Staff and patients were milling around like every other morning. And that somehow worse…

Something here was… wrong.

Belle couldn’t see it… but she felt that something had changed. That… that thing… it still had its claws in this place.

Most… they were untouched… Belle could feel that… but others. Others… others seemed to look at her for too long. People she did not know…

She decided not to meet their gaze… feeling as if it was staring at her from behind their eyes.

Its one eye… always seeing.

Belle could hardly remember how she made her way to her car, but she it was as she was clutching the steering wheel before she finally broke down, tears running down her cheeks.

It took her a good fifteen minutes, before she was able to simply drive out of the parking lot of the hospital.

 

She just needed to get out of town… just for a couple of days… at least at first. Just to think. To figure out what she was going to do… then again…

This was a… demon?

But whatever it was… it was far greater than her.

Even knowing that… she could not shake the feeling that she was… abandoning him. This man who no longer knew his own name… or the name of his son which he loved so much.

The man forced to lay in the hospital bed… hardly able to speak because of those horrid teeth and that forked tongue… and wait…

Wait for that… horrible demon to come for him.

Trapped in his own body and simply forced to wait…

Belle had even trouble imagining how horrible a fate that must be. But… he had pleaded with her to run. To get as far away as possible… Not to mention her staying at the hospital… it could hurt others…

But even as much as she thought those thoughts… it did not feel right.

Even as she packed her clothes into her suitcase, she felt her stomach twist. Still she put the bags in her car, driving towards the border of the town… to stay at a motel or with some friends living outside of Storybrooke. That part she hadn’t worked out yet.

She just drove to get as far away as possible.

 

At 11 pm. Belle walked in the door of Storybrooke hospital, dressed in her scrubs as if it was any other day at working the night shift. Standing there in the empty hall she realized just where she was as a terrified gasp came upon her lips.

The last thing she could remember was driving across the town line several hours before. She should be several miles away.

Yet… she here she was… standing in Storybrooke hospital.

A soft beautiful laugh was then heard in her ear.

_“DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LET YOU GO?”_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Rumplestiltskin plans what they should do next.

Belle stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, hearing that beautiful voice still ringing in her ears. Her knees were buckling slightly from the fear wrecking through her body. She had no idea how she was even able to remain standing.

A soft sob escaped her lips.

It was too late…

It took her a long while before she was able to move her legs and started to move towards the room of… well… he still did not have a name. Or… did not remember it.

Slowly she opened the door, finding him laying in the bed, staring at the image of his son. As he heard the door being opened, forcing himself to sit up.

 _“BELLE!”_ he gripped the handle of his bed. _“You were supposed to leave… you were supposed to be miles away from here.”_

Belle simply closed the door and walked up to him, moving to change his fluids as she shook her head.

“I tried… After my shift, when we last saw each other… I went home… packed my things and I drove… that is the last thing I remember before… before I turned up here…” she said as she sat down next to him.

 _“Shit…”_ he groaned as he lifted his hand to cover his eyes.

“You… you seem to be doing better,” she attempted to cheer him up, even though her heart was still pounding loudly within her chest.

 _“I am getting… acclimatized… I guess you could call it…”_ he whispered, sitting himself up.

“So… where… where did you come from?” she had already asked this question several times over, but he had never been able to answer. Not like now. He thought for some time.

 _“Its realm… I guess… hell… is an apt description…”_ he whispered.

“Hell…?” Belle stuttered nervously.

 _“Not quite like the one we have heard about… there is no fire or brimstone… it is waste… desolate. At one point it was… beautiful… but those times have long since passed. It has been corrupted. Like Dominion itself… it is an image of it. You have heard its voice… how beautiful it is. It is what remains of its former glory…”_ the man explained. Belle swallowed.

“Sounds… horrifying…” she whispered nervously.

 _“It is maddening…”_ he whispered. Belle reached out softly and took his hand, starting to caress her fingers across the top of his hand, careful of the IV still in his hand.

“What… what should we do?” she whispered. The man gritted his teeth.

 _“I need to get out of here…”_ his dark eyes met hers.

“Well… I can’t just take you out of here right now… we need to tell them you are better,” she whispered towards him.

 _“With this smile?”_ he grinned towards her, showing the full extent of his sharp teeth, even flicked his forked tongue as if to drive the point home. Belle bit her lip nervously.

“I admit… that is not… easy…” she whispered softly, trying to think.

“Do you… do you have any sort of identification… any information?” she then asked.

 _“Belle… I don’t even have a name…”_ he whispered towards her. _“The only name I remember is Rumplestiltskin… and I hardly believe the cops are going to believe that…”_

“Rumplestiltskin… wonder what that means…” Belle whispered.

 _“I do not know… but I cannot shake that name…”_ the man said, raising his arm and running his fingers through his hair.

“But you can move though… perhaps we can say you are mute and you can communicate by writing… I mean… you are an adult man and they cannot keep you if you do not want to stay… we just need a name…” Belle continued to hold onto his hand.

 _“I think that they are going to need a lot more than a name…”_ he whispered. _“I showed up… from nowhere… with nothing.”_

“Well… you did wear a suit… which did not look like it had been through hell to be honest…” Belle had never expected that her life would be as insane as this.

 _“Better than this hospital gown…”_ he shrugged.

“Do you remember anything of your life before… or why you ended up in…?” Belle could not finish her question. He looked down, continuing to hold onto her hand as if it was a life line.

 _“Flashes… my son… I remember him. Not his name or anything specific… I cannot tell you his age… where he went to school… but I can tell you about his honest nature… how kind he was. A bit of a troublemaker, he would always end up getting hurt… climbing too high or driving his bike too fast… I remember him more than once having something in a cast… I remember that I would give everything for him… that without him… I would be nothing…”_ his voice faded as his dark eyes fell upon the image of the boy by his side. Belle followed his eyes, trying her best to keep from crying. She felt so much for this man.

 _“As to why I ended up there… I do not remember… I don’t even know how long it has been…”_ he whispered. _“Time there… it is not like here…”_

Belle nodded. It made sense… as much as anything in this situation did. She continued to assure him gently, caressing his hand gently.

“I am sorry…” she whispered. He shook his head.

 _“No… you are the only person I can trust… I still struggle to believe you are real…”_ he continued to hold onto her… as if having to assure himself once again that she was indeed real.

“I am real…” she assured him.

 _“It has been a long time since… since I felt anything real…”_ he looked towards her. She attempted to smile to him.

“I am… I promise,” she reached out to him, stroking his soft hair gently. He closed his eyes, leaning towards her touch. Belle remained like this for some time, allowing her fingers to run over his cheekbone, across his cheek.

The man without a name could not believe how heavenly the touch felt like. Her soft fingers were more healing than any drug…

How could he have dragged this beautiful creature into the hell which he had dragged with him? She did not deserve it… she deserved nothing of this.

 _“You… you are kind…”_ he whispered softly towards her. _“You shouldn’t have to… Can you ever forgive me?”_

Belle simply hushed him softly.

“It is not your fault… you just wanted to get back to your son…” she whispered as she brushed her fingers across his forehead. “No one deserves what you have gone through… of course you had to escape if you could…”

 _“But I did not…”_ he whispered towards her, his eyes looking into hers. _“It followed me… I played right into its plans… it wanted out… and I showed it the way.”_

Belle felt awful.

“Tomorrow… at the end of my shift… I will write you out of here, and you will go back home with me… then… then we will figure out what to do from here,” she assured him.

 _“Belle… I can’t,”_ he shook his head, but she shook her head.

“No protests. Where else can you go?” she asked him. He gritted his teeth, but it was true… he didn’t even have a name.

 _“I will do my best to pay you back… I swear… I may not remember much about who I used to be, but… I know I am a man who pays his debts…”_ he told her, gently tightening his grip around her hand as to drive his words home.  Belle smiled.

“Do not worry about it…” she assured her once again.

“I do worry that there is going to be questions that you are just discharged from the hospital… the sheriff may have questions…” Belle truly worried about this. The thought of being questioned by the police… she had never done anything which would bring her to their attention. Sure, both Graham and Emma was nice but…

 _“They cannot keep me here… and I am sure the hospital will be happy to be rid of me,”_ he shrugged. Belle nodded. To have a patient with no insurance nor any way to pay… they had been thinking of transferring him to the mental wing for a while now.

“Alright… at the end of my shift… I will fill out the discharge form… shouldn’t be too hard to get Dr. Whale’s signature. He let the nurses do as much as the work as possible,” she assured him. He nodded.

 _“Thank you again Belle… I owe you everything… you truly is a remarkable woman…”_ he whispered, though he felt no praise would be good enough for this divine being.

Belle simply stood up, giving him a final stroke across his features.

“I will see you soon… Rumplestiltskin…”

With this she wandered out the door to the room to continue her shift.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle brings Rumplestitskin home from the hospital.

Belle honestly just wanted to end her shift… being in this place after what had happened… after what she had seen. She wanted to do something… not just wait. Though she attempted to busy herself her mind was distracted as she looked through the papers to check on medications.

“You are looking tired dear.”

Belle lifted to find little old Miss Warden standing there. Miss Warden had been at the hospital for as long as she could remember, a very sweet old lady which Belle liked very much.

“Oh… night shift… not always the easiest on your sleeping schedule,” Belle smiled to her. Miss Warden let out a soft small laugh.

“I can understand. Not easy keeping guard is it. I know all about that,” she nodded to herself. This lady was small in every sense of the word. Even smaller than Belle… who had often been teased due to her short stature.

“Oh! You were a nurse?” she questioned.

“No…” Miss Warden thought for a while. “Not a nurse… more a guard I guess.”

“A guard?” Belle asked, having to admit she was a bit puzzled over this.

“Well… it was after the war,” Miss Warden explained. Belle blinked. Perhaps Miss Warden meant caretaker? Or guardian? For some reason it was hard for her to see the little old lady as a guard for a prison. Miss Warden certainly had a slight accent… though Belle could not place it, but it made sense that English was not her first language. Belle gave her a gentle smile.

“Well… you would think I was used to staying up all night now,” she smiled softly.

“Takes time to get used to such things at times I assure you dear. But I should let you get on with your work and not bother you anymore,” Miss Warden smiled towards her, patting Belle gently on her arm.

“I will see you around Miss Warden,” she smiled towards the old woman, who said her final goodbyes before Miss Warden walked away.

Belle smiled towards him, it was always really nice to talk to Miss Warden. She was a really strange old lady, but the best kind. Belle always felt himself at ease around her… though she had noticed that some people was uneasy around the old woman… especially as she really seemed to know everything going on around the hospital and even the town.

Belle smiled slightly. Well… some old ladies really did have an ability to find out information as they tended to listen in on conversations and some seemed to have a mind like a steel trap when it came to information that was interesting to them.

In truth… Miss Warden had given Belle a bit of normality after… well her life had quickly gotten quite… insane.

She watched that little old lady shuffle down the corridor for a while before she went back to her work.

Finally the night was coming to an end and she had been able to get Dr. Whale’s signature and had even picked up Rumplestiltskin’s suit to get him out of the hospital gown.

Walking up to his room she knocked on the door before she walked into his room, finding him sitting up on the bed and she slowly closed the door behind her.

“Hi…” Belle said softly as she wandered close to him. “How are you doing?”

He glanced up at her, relieved to see her again, letting out a slow breath before nodding his head.

 _“Yes… or… somewhat… I am still adjusting, but I can move and talk. That is certainly an improvement…”_ he murmured doing his best to hide his sharp teeth as he spoke, though he was not really successful in this endeavor. Belle attempting to give him a comforting smile before she showed him his suit.

“I got you your suit,” she offered it to him, putting it down on the bed beside him.

 _“Thank you, I must confess that I cannot wait to get out of these,”_ he gritted his teeth slightly as he tugged his gown. _“I also want to get out of here.”_

He looked around the room, before shaking his head.

“I cannot blame you… you have been here for quite some time already. My apartment is small, but at least it is better than the hospital,” Belle told him with a soft smile. Rumplestiltskin nodded his head.

 _“And… I am forever grateful to you…”_ she could hear that he was rather embarrassed due to his situation. Belle smiled softly towards him, having the feeling that Rumplestiltskin… or the man that he used to be, was not used to be in someone’s debt.

“It is alright… we are sort of in this together,” she attempted to assure him. However this was something which only seemed to make him feel even worse about it.

“It is nothing that we can do about that. Just let us… try to get through it, there is no good to dwell on the past,” Belle said, him nodding solemnly.

 _“I suppose…”_ he sighed. Belle bit her lip slightly.

“Um… is there anything more that I can get you?” Belle asked then.

 _“If you can get me a cane or a crutch that would be much appreciated… still feel… a bit unsteady,”_ he told her. Belle nodded her head.

“Yes, I am going to find one. Just get dressed, I’ll be back in a short while,” she whispered softly, patting her on his shoulder, before exiting the room. Rumplestiltskin sat there for a while, glancing down on his hands which was still trembling. Gritting his teeth he stood himself up, having to steady himself at the edge of the bed.

Having laid still for so long has taken a toll on his body… not to mention that place. He was feeling absolutely exhausted simply moving, and he knew that taking on his clothes would be chore. Still… he wanted to do it himself… he hated feeling so powerless.

Belle took her time in finding a crutch for him. She knew he needed time… he was clearly struggling. Even a man who had been bedridden for long would need to have his body get used to moving again.

Her blue eyes wandered over to the windows… fearing to see that it had turned blood red once again… and that she would hear those sounds.

But he night guy had just started to lighten slightly, a promise that the sun would rise soon. Belle swallowed, decided to try to not think about it… not now.

Crutch in hand she wandered back to the room, where Rumplestiltskin had managed to get his suit on, trying his tie.

“Got a crutch… we will need to find you something more to wear. I mean… it cannot be comfortable to stay in the suit all day…” she told him as she handed him the crutch.

 _“Well… it is not too bad… you shouldn’t use your money on me,”_ he was more and more embarrassed.

“It is alright… you cannot stay in one suit the entire time. Besides, I am sure when we figure out who you are I am sure you will pay me back so… think of it more as a loan,” she once again attempted to cheer him up.

 _“Well… it is a decent suit at least, seems that I am a man of means… at the very least,”_ Rumplestiltskin said as he stood himself up, leaning heavily on the crutch, groaning softly, Belle grabbing his arm to help him steady himself.

 _“Thank you,”_ Rumplestiltskin nodded towards her.

“Don’t worry. Come, let us get you to my car, once we are back to my apartment to give you some rest,” she assured him, lending her his arm. Rumplestiltskin nodded towards her, the two of them made their way out of the hospital.

It was pretty still as the day shift had not fully started and they went down into the employment exit, to keep from attracting attention. Belle knew that there would be questions… but… hopefully it would only turn into gossip and a mystery no one would look too much into.

Because… if Emma or Graham were to find out about this… well it would be very hard to explain. Also what would happen if it was discovered if he wasn’t… exactly… human. What would happen then?

Belle decided that they would cross that bridge when they came to it… hopefully they would not.

They had now arrived at Belle’s little blue beat up car… she should really get a new one, but it was reliable and had never before crapped out on her. Gently she helped Rumplestiltskin into the passenger seat before walking in and drove to her apartment.

 

It was not a long drive from the hospital to the little apartment she had which was located above the library in the small town. Belle was worried about how Rumplestiltskin would deal with the stairs, but with him steadying himself on her arm they were able to her front door which she was quick to unlock.

Finally inside the apartment Belle helped him onto the couch. It was evident that even this short walk had taken its toll on the man as he sat there, breathing softly.

“You are tired, look you just rest here, I will head out for a bit… need to pick some stuff up as… well I wasn’t exactly expecting guests,” Belle let out a gentle laugh as she looked around. It was a bit eerie. Everything she had packed to leave town… it was now back in its proper place. As if she never packed them to begin with. It sent a chill down her spine and made her a bit uncomfortable being in her own home.

Rumplestiltskin nodded.

 _“Yes… I’ll be fine… don’t worry,”_ he whispered softly. Belle nodded her head, but filled up a class of water and left it on the table for him.

“I won’t be long,” she assured him, but he was already passed out asleep. Belle wondered if she should leave him, but he seemed to be breathing well.

He needed rest. Hopefully he was still just… adjusting.

With a knot in her stomach she walked out of her apartment again to do some errands.

 

Her trip to get groceries and the like… as well as picking up things she thought Rumplestiltskin would need like toiletries as well as undergarments went fairly well… it was an easy enough excuse to say she was picking some things up for her father, even if he lived in the town over. It sounded plausible enough.

However where she would find clothes that would not break her bank…

Driving around she noticed a small store that she never really had before… Gold’s pawnshop.

Hm… perhaps she could find something there, Belle thought as she parked her car outside and stepped inside.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle goes into Gold’s pawnshop.

The store was a bit dim and filled with all sorts of curiosities which drew Belle’s attention. She would love to look all over the things placed in this store, but she had a great need to return to her apartment to check on Rumplestiltskin to make certain that he was alright. Even now she felt that she had been gone from him for too long.

Slowly she approached the counter just as a young woman came from the back, smiling in greeting, having long blond, almost white hair down to her lower back, and rather striking auburn eyes.

“Oh hello! I did not hear you, can I help you with something?” she asked with a cheery smile. Belle blinked her eyes… feeling a bit… on edge.

“Um… perhaps… uh… you see I have this… uncle… he lost everything in a fire… so I just wondered if you had any… men’s clothes laying around?” she asked. The woman cocked her head slightly, the long shimmering hair flowing down.

“Hm… not usually… but you might be in luck. Just what size is your uncle?” she pondered as she put a finger against her lip as she thought.

“I am not sure exactly… but he is short… an inch or so taller than myself and… on the skinny side,” she said. The woman’s face seemed to light up as a smile spread across her face.

“Oh! I think I have something, just wait one moment I am going to fetch it from the back!” she said in an excited tone before rushing back before Belle could get out another word. Standing like this, Belle had to admit that she found it… odd that she had never seen this woman around. Sure.. she did not know everyone in Storybroke by name, though… it really wasn’t far off and she was certain that she would have remembered this woman, especially with that hair.

Just then the woman returned, carrying a cardboard box.

“You are in luck. Usually my boss never carry such things, but we got this from an estate that he just acquired. The owner was a rather short scrawny man… or so it looks from the clothes,” she shrugged. Belle looked through.

It was indeed filled with men’s clothes in very good condition and at least it seemed that it would fit Rumplestiltskin… or from what she could tell.

“Well… it seems it will fit,” Belle thought as she looked towards the woman. “How much does it cost?”

In truth she dreaded the answer. She really did not have much money to spend. The woman behind the counter simply shrugged her shoulders.

“Just take it, I was instructed to toss it out anyway,” she said. Belle furrowed her brows in confusion.

“You are just letting me have it?” she pondered.

“Well… truth is that I wouldn’t know how to sell it to you. It doesn’t really have a price tag,” the longhaired woman let out a mirthful giggle.

“Nah… you are a nurse right? I don’t think you have THAT much expendable income and besides… you want to help your uncle who seems to have gone through some awful stuff… losing everything like that… besides… if you don’t take it, it is going to the trash, would be an awful waste,” she said as she pushed the box closer to Belle.

Belle swallowed slightly. This was a very kind gesture… more than she could expected… and from a stranger no less. A stranger that she had lied to. But… Rumplestiltskin had lost far more than one could ever loose from a fire.

“Thank you… it truly means so much…” Belle said with a soft smile. The woman smiled.

“Um… but I must confess, you know what I work as, yet I cannot remember having seen you?” she questioned as she glanced over at her.

“Oh, well I guess I am a bit new and… I don’t really go out much… bit of a recluse I admit, I am Domini… my parents are a bit strange… couldn’t have named me anything normal, like Dominique or something,” she let out a laugh. “You are Belle right? I think I have heard Ruby talk about you… I eat at Granny’s sometimes. I LOVE the pancakes.”

Belle still was not sure what to believe. There was really something odd about this woman. It was the feeling that she had gotten when she first walked in and it had not lessened now. But she was nice… no doubt about that, just odd.

Then again, who was Belle to judge? She was pretty strange herself to tell the truth and had been teased a lot for it. Some friendly and some… not so friendly.

“Yes, my name is Belle French… and the pancakes are really good, just with whipped cream and berries,” she laughed softly.

“Oh, I LOVE that too! And the warm chocolate! The policewoman… Emma, she really likes those too. Though she always put cinnamon in… just.. no,” Domini shook her head as she scrounged her lip slightly. Belle giggled as she nodded her head.

“I never understood that either,” she had to admit.

“But her son is just so cute! Just the sweetest little rascal, makes me want one! Her man though… I got to admit he isn’t my type, but he is so nice and he is so in love with Emma and just adore his son. They are such a precious little family,” Domini clasped her hands together as she smiled.

“Yes, Emma is very lucky to have Neal… I haven’t talked that much to him, but he seems like a very sweet man. A lot more relaxed than Emma is in a lot of ways, a bit of a mess at times but… yeah Emma is very lucky,” Belle nodded. Domini let out a sigh.

“She is. Love is just so… adorable you know? So sweet, I love to see people in love,” she said in a dreamy voice. “Do you have someone special then Belle?”

Belle shook her head.

“Oh, no… not now, I mean… I want to find someone, you know like in the fairytales?” Belle shrugged. Domini giggled softly.

“Well, if it was a fairytale perhaps you should be looking for a beast instead of a prince?” Domini was trying to sound serious… something which may have worked had it not been for the big grin on her face.

Belle was confused for a moment before she let out a soft laugh.

“Oh, because of my name,” she nodded. Not that people hadn’t made that joke enough in her life…

“Well… it would be fitting,” Domini shrugged slightly, though not mocking in any way.

“Perhaps it is, though… perhaps you are right… I never was one for… the princely type… much less the boastful type…” Belle wondered… though she also started to wonder why she was still speaking with this woman. Not that it wasn’t pleasant. Perhaps she needed this. Though it was odd, it felt nice to just… have a somewhat normal conversation with someone. It helped her mind… rest for the lack of a better word.

Sleep might be better, but Belle was not sure that her dreams would be very nice to her… at least not with everything that had happened. Even though she was feeling exhausted she was too riled up to even want to sleep right now.

“Mhm… I must say I agree with that… I myself always found a man actually would look very fetching with sharp teeth do you not agree?”

Domini’s words caused a certain chill to go down Belle’s back… why would she mentioned sharp teeth?

“Um… well… I cannot say I disagree with that… though I really should be going, are you certain I can take this?” Belle asked as she once again mentioned towards the clothes.

“I hope I didn’t say anything strange… I tend to do that sometimes…” Domini said with a sigh. Belle was quick to shake her head.

“Oh no, not at all, just… my uncle is back at my apartment, I really should get back to him,” she explained. Domini nodded quickly.

“Of course! How silly of me, blabbering on like this. Not often I get to talk to people… I should do that more!” she perked up again.

“I didn’t mind… actually helped get my mind of things…” Belle confessed. The long haired woman nodded.

“It is good sometimes… but yes, just take it, make it useful… just toss it if your uncle cannot have use for it… or give it away… actually made me not have to carry it to the trash so, I guess I should be thanking you,” Domini said as she waved Belle goodbye as the small woman picked up the box of clothes and said her goodbyes as she got into her car and drove to her apartment.

 

Belle was very happy once she arrived at her apartment after hauling the box up the narrow stairs which lead to her apartment. While the box wasn’t all that heavy she hated carrying such large things as due to her short stature she could not see a thing in front of herself when she carried it. Stairs were especially hated in this regard.

Putting it down by the door she wandered inside. She wondered for a moment where Rumplestiltskin was, though once she got to her couch the mystery was quickly solved. There she found the man in a deep sleep, curled up on her couch, still wearing his suit… though having removed the jacket and the shoes. It did not look all that comfortable, but Belle did not have the heart to wake him.

“You poor man…” she whispered softly as she reached over and brushed away some of his hair away from his forehead, the soft strands gently moving over her fingers.

She felt strangely… drawn to him… though she pushed away the thought…

Perhaps Domini’s words had gotten to her… she had been single for a long time and… well… Rumplestiltskin did have sharp teeth like Domini had teased her with.

Belle shook her head. She should make something for them to eat so he could get some food in him before he got to sleep in a proper bed. With this thought she moved away from him, but got him a blanket which she draped over him to keep him from feeling cold before she wandered over to the kitchen, in order to get… Belle was not certain it could be called breakfast when they had been up all night, but anyways she would get it started.


End file.
